Tuesday, September 28, 2021

CWP, 28 September MMXXI Anno Domini

 Hi Sheepdogs, 
 
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*****     *****     ***** Software *****     *****     *****
 
----- Basics -----
 
"Better to stay out of trouble than get out of trouble."
-- Tactical Professor (Claude Werner)
 
Tom Givens, Facebook posting 
Excerpts:  
     "As my friend, John Farnam, says "When you least expect it, you're selected"."
     "10:52 A.M., not midnight.  At the gym, literally minding your own business."
     "Carry your damned gun."
 
"Guns 101: Rifles, Shotguns and Pistols" by Guy Sagi
 
"How To Load a Handgun Magazine" by Jeff Gonzales
     No, it's not obvious.  Lots of my students insert the bullet-end of the cartridge 
in first, instead of the primer-end of the cartridge.  I have had persons familiar 
with the M-16 / AR-15 type rifles attempt to push the pistol cartridge straight down 
into the magazine through the lips of the magazine, as opposed to pushing down in 
front and then sliding the cartridge back under the lips of the magazine.  
     Teaching beginners is much more difficult than teaching non-beginners.  And 
requires far more patience.  Patience is not the same as tolerance.  One should 
never tolerate safety violations; that's just unacceptable.  
 
"Mission of the Handgun" BY JOHN FARNAM
Excerpt:  
     "Few seek-out competent training."
 
Back to Basics with Jeff Gonzales
     Ya, you could watch the video on YouTube.com, but this web page has a 
transcript and I prefer reading.  It's about how to avoid negligent discharges.  
 
"Handgun Operation: Types Of Pistol Actions" by SSUSA Staff
 
“If you are reading this and can’t put your hand on your defensive firearm, 
all of your training is wasted.” -- Col. Jeff Cooper
 
----- Aftermath -----
(You have to be alive to have these problems:  criminal and civil liability.)
 
“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, 
but because he loves what is behind him.”
― G.K. Chesterton
 
     Please read and share the article on self defense insurance in the link 
in the right hand column labeled "Self Defense Insurance".  You have insurance 
to drive your car.  You have insurance to protect your loved ones in the 
event of your death.  So, carry self defense insurance, so your loved ones 
are not left destitute after your use of lethal force to protect their lives.  
     George Zimmerman's legal defense cost eight million dollars, $8,000,000.  
Nashville Police Officer Andrew Delke's legal defense cost three million 
dollars, $3,000,000 before jury selection started.  And both of these 
gentlemen were completely justified in shooting their assailants.  Don't be 
a fool.  Get insurance.  
     I fought the Cherry Hill, NJ police and the New Jersey prosecutors.  
I plead not guilty and my attorney got the prosecutor to drop all charges 
in New Jersey state court.  
     I fought the civilian Department of Defense police and the U.S. Attorney 
in federal court on Fort Dix.  I plead not guilty and my attorney got the 
Federal Magistrate to dismissed all charges.  
     You too can win.  But, you've got to have money to hire competent, 
connected attorneys.  Otherwise, the legal system will grind you up.  
     As Andrew Branca says, you get as much justice as you can afford.  
     Andrew says you should have an insurance policy that allows you to 
choose your own attorney.  That may be correct for Andrew, as a sophisticated 
knowledgeable attorney himself (so he uses CCW Safe), but how many of 
us have the wherewithal to choose a competent attorney?  
     I use U.S. Law Shield because they vet their attorneys.  So, I feel 
confident that the attorney that they give me is competent.  (I also happen 
to know the self defense attorneys in my area, so I am biased.  
U.S. Law Shield is also the only company that will cover licensed armed 
guards.  So, I don't have a choice.)  
 
“Your understanding and consent are not required for someone to take 
your life, kill your loved ones, and destroy all you hold dear.” 
-- William Aprill 
 
----- Mindset (figuring out the correct way to think) -----
 
Awareness, Avoidance, De-Escalation, and Escape
 
James Clark:  What’s the one thing to always remember in a firefight?
Norm Hooten:  Keep your head.  It’s never as good as it seems and it’s never 
as bad as it seems, but keep your head and there’s always a way out.
     That’s the most important thing:  Keep your head, don’t panic. 
Never ever panic, it’s the worst thing you can do.
 
     Be careful.  The bad guy might have a gun, and friends (that you can't see).  
The other "good guys" might have guns and not recognize you as a good guy.  
The police (uniformed and plain clothes) have guns and recognize you as a suspect.  
     So, unlike force-on-force training, there are lots of people who may shoot you.  
And then of course there is friendly fire, which will cause casualties just as 
effectively as enemy fire.  
     "I would never shoot anyone on my team."  "Everyone on my team is competent.  
We would never have a friendly fire casualty."  
     Oh really?  Statistically, it happens all the time.  And remember, there are 
people on your side who are not on your team.  
     Also, unlike IDPA or IPSC, in the real world there are one or two shoot targets 
and scores of no-shoot targets.  Hitting one of the no-shoots means criminal 
prosecution and civil law suits (at least in the civilian world).  
     Remember the Marine pilots who hit the ski lift cables in the Italian Alps 
killing all those passengers on the ski lift?  They avoided prosecution and civil 
liability in Italy because we have a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with all 
of the countries that we defeated in World War II (as well as many others).  
They were court martialed in the U.S. and were acquitted because their maps did 
not show the ski lifts.  But, that ain't your reality.  You're going to be 
prosecuted where it happened.  
     Nashville Police Officer Andrew Delke accepted the plea deal because every 
focus group drawn from Nashville residents convicted him.  Hey, it's your fault 
for living in a limp dick liberal community.  You're not going to be able to 
claim it was an accident because you lacked some bit of information.  (Andrew 
Branca says "accident" is a legitimate legal defense.  But, there are no accidents 
in combat.  There are only negligence and recklessness.)  And if you live in 
Davidson County, Tennessee, consider what the prosecutor said about Officer 
Delke's shooting of the armed suspect (who pointed his pistol at Officer Delke)
"1st Degree Murder, the premeditation for which can be formed in an instant" 
-- District Attorney Glen Funk
No joke, Funk charged Delke with First Degree Murder for shooting an armed 
suspect who was pointing his pistol at Officer Delke.  This isn't the Twilight 
Zone, this is liberal Nashville.  
 
     "KNOWING WHAT WE CANNOT AND DO NOT KNOW
IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE *ARE* AWARE OF.
     THE MAN WHO IS UNAFRAID TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND 
ACCEPT HIS WEAKNESS BECOMES THE STRONGEST.
     Concealed carry is EITHER a fashion statement 
or it's a means to effective self-defense."
-- Patrick Kilchermann
 
     "Fairy tales are more than true.  
Not because they tell us that dragons exist, 
but because they tell us that dragons can be defeated."
-- G. K. Chesterton
 
Clint Smith from Thunder Ranch - 60 minutes clip
     Actually, there are a lot of people that need to be killed.  
And because we killed them, we haven't had a 9/11 type attack 
since the 9/11 attacks.  Thank God and President Bush for the 
Global War On Terrorism.  (By executive order, not congressional 
declaration of war.  Yes, there is a difference.)
 
"There are no victims, only volunteers.  
You volunteer by looking uncertain and afraid.  
You volunteer by being, as grass-eaters invariably are, 
unprepared to confront the hazards of life."
— Jeff Cooper
 
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----- Safety -----
 
Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety  
RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED.  
RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY.
RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET. 
RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET.  
 
"Negligent discharge" by John Farnam, 16 June 99
Excerpt:  
     "If you’re careless about which direction your muzzle is pointed, you’ll 
have it pointed at yourself before you know it!  This is no business for the 
careless, the overly casual, and the nonchalant.  True warriors pay attention 
to what they’re doing."
 
"Negligent discharge" by John Farnam, 12 May 99
Excerpt:  
     "When fingers are where they don’t belong and people are oblivious 
of where their muzzle is pointed, this kind of incident will continue to happen."
 
"Tucker: Biden was forced to stop lying"
     The trigger puller failed to positively identify his target before attacking it.  
Violation of Rule IV.  (see above)  Marine Corps pilots as a matter of doctrinal 
protocol will fly low and inverted over the target to positively identify the target 
before making a second pass to strike it.  Air Force pilots would not do this.  
Now, even Air Force drone pilots neglect to positively identify their targets.  
Now you understand the importance of Rule IV in combat.  All safety rules must be 
obeyed at all times.  [Yes, Anastasia, I'm talking to you.  When you fly an air 
strike mission, you must positively identify your target before striking it.  
Your instructors will tell you that verification of the targets for air strikes, 
artillery, and naval gun fire (all missiles now days) are the responsibility of 
the forward observer.  My uncle Tai Chun, Colonel U.S. Air Force, B-52 pilot and 
bombardier, found the bombing of innocent civilians very disturbing.  Will you?  
-- Uncle Jon]
 
John Farnam's rules to keep you out of trouble:  
Don't go to stupid places.  
Don't do stupid things.  
Don't hang out with stupid people.  
Be in bed by 10 PM.  Your own bed.  
Don't look like a freak. 
Don't fail the attitude test.  
 
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----- Training (figuring out the correct tasks to learn) -----
 
"When the Moment of Truth arrives,
The Time for Preparation has passed."
-- Mike Mercer
 
"Q and A 2" by John Farnam
     John gives a list of things you need to know.  Copy it down, and decide to get 
training in each thing listed.  Ya, it will take several years.  But, you've 
got nothing better to do.  Really, you don't have anything more important to do.  
 
     You need training because:  
You don't know what you don't know.  
Much of what you know is false.  
It's good to the have the answers before the criminal tests you.  
-- Claude Werner (paraphrased)
 
Guardian Conference, 1st Annual
     I know it's late notice.  Maybe you'd like to attend next year.  
The list of courses:
 
"The real value of training and practice isn't gaining technical competence, 
it's achieving confidence in your abilities."
-- Claude Werner
 
"Visual Perception Delay and In-The-Back Shootings" by Mike Ox
Excerpt:  
     "Build up to stress training at a level where you experience choppy vision 
so you can identify it for what it is and compensate for it when you realize 
you’ve got it."
     Read the comments to this article.  
 
“The secret of success is this. 
Train like it means everything when it means nothing – so you can 
fight like it means nothing when it means everything.” 
-- Lofty Wiseman
 
"8 Critical Handgun Skills and Concepts: Beyond the Basics" by Col. Benjamin Findley
1. Shooting With Your Off-Support Hand
2. Shooting One-Handed And Two-Handed
3. Shooting On The Move And While In Various Positions
4. Shooting From Different Self-Defense Distances
5. Shooting Various Sizes And Numbers Of Self-Defense Targets
6. Drawing And Loading The Handgun
7. Shooting Different Calibers Of Handguns
8. Shooting Different Handgun Actions And Features
 
     Jeff Gonzales, training videos - 
 
     "REACTING to a surprise, complex visual cue to shoot is amazingly different 
than being primed and reacting to a binary audible cue to shoot.  But once you've 
reacted, the response is almost identical."
-- Mike Ox
 
'Grip strength exercises for accuracy' by Kevin Michalowski, USCCA
     Physical fitness is a key element of self defense.  
 
"All the HiTS!!" by Lee Weems
 
"Training is NOT an event, but a process. 
Training is the preparation FOR practice". 
-- Claude Werner
 
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----- Practice (how to get good at that task) -----
 
     A lot of people have the will to win.  
Very few people have the will to prepare to win.
 
     Practice is the small deposits you make over time, 
so that in an emergency, you can make that big withdrawal. 
-- Chesley Burnett Sullenberger, III
 
. . . “dry-firing is the most often overlooked element of a comprehensive 
training program.  But it shouldn’t be.  It’s simple and almost cost-free.”
-- Mike Green
 
Why practice?
    "To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment
when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and
offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique
to them and fitted to their talents.  What a tragedy if
that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that 
which could have been their finest hour."
-- Winston Churchill
 
     "Be careful what you practice. 
Because you will do in combat whatever you have practiced, 
no matter how ridiculous."
-- "Shooting in Self-Defense" by Sara Ahrens
 
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----- Tactics (tasks that you should strive to be able to do) -----
 
How do you win a gunfight? 
Don't be there.
-- John Farnam
 
"Basic Tactics: Angular Searches" by Michael Kurcina
 
"Contact Distance Shooting . . . Rescuing a Friend or Family Member" by Greg Ellifritz
     Ralph Mroz recommends locking up with the good guy by grabbing a hold of 
the good guy and then shooting the bad guy where the neck meets the shoulder 
aiming towards the heart and lungs.  
 
Front Sight Reality Check #85
     Brad Ackman analyzes a dashcam video.  
There are bad guys behind you, guarantee!  
 
You win gunfights by not getting shot.
-- John Holschen
 
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----- Techniques (ways to do that task) -----
 
"Use only that which works, 
and take it from any place you can find it."
-- Bruce Lee
 
     "Most defensive handgun engagements occur at ranges and in time frames 
where there may only be the opportunity to get a very fast visual confirmation 
of the gun’s body index on the threat.  The late Jim Cirillo offered a method 
to accelerate this process by using only the silhouette of the handgun for 
aiming.  To understand this method, aim your unloaded gun at something that 
can safely absorb a bullet and then shift your focus below the sights.  On an 
autoloader you should be looking at the rectangular shape of the rear of the 
slide; on a revolver you should see the circular shape of the cylinder.  
If you slowly cock your wrist to one side, you’ll begin to see the side of 
the slide or the cylinder.  Come back to where you see only the rectangle or 
the circle and then slowly cock your wrist to the other side.  Again, return 
the gun to its desired silhouette and then slowly cock your wrist upward until 
you begin to see the top of the slide or the upper surfaces of the cylinder.  
Return the gun to its proper silhouette alignment and then confirm its 
alignment by returning your focus to the sights — they should be quite close 
to alignment with your original aiming point.  This weapon silhouette point, 
as Jim called it, may allow you to get a faster visual alignment, particularly 
in low light.  To use it, simply place the silhouette of the gun over the area 
of the target you wish to hit.  Revolver shooters may find it works better to
place the silhouette of the cylinder on the lower edge of where you wish to hit. 
Some people actually shoot tighter groups this way, probably because they don’t 
have a precise sight picture to tempt them to snatch the trigger.  For most 
people who can use this technique, it’s good out to 7 yards; some can use it 
out to 10 yards or beyond.  In my experience, it seems to work better for my 
students with autoloaders than with revolvers."
-- STEPHEN P. WENGER from the book "Defensive Use of Firearms"
 
     "Even if you have failed to keep a flashlight at hand or cannot flip an 
appropriate light switch, there is always the option of calling out – preferably 
from behind some sort of cover – for a suspected intruder to identify himself.  
With the high intensity of even inexpensive flashlights these days, there is 
no requirement for techniques to co-witness the main beam of the light with 
the muzzle of the gun.  Further – and particularly for those who use 
weapon-mounted lights – searching should be done by reflecting the beam off 
light-colored surfaces, including floors, walls an ceilings rather than risking 
being startled while searching with the muzzle."
-- STEPHEN P. WENGER from his weekly emailings
 
"Handgun Grip Vs. Hold: What's the Difference?" by STEVE TARANI 
     Well, no, not exactly.  The firing side hand should be pushing the pistol 
forward.  The support side hand should be pulling the pistol backward.  Because 
that minimizes muzzle flip.  Which allows faster subsequent shots.  
 
"It's not daily increase but daily decrease - hack away at the inessentials!" 
-- Bruce Lee
 
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----- Education -----
 
"You will never get smarter or broaden your horizons 
if you're unwilling to learn from others and read."
-- Becca Martin
 
Infographics from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc.
     Good for posting around your gun range.  
 
     Born on This Date (9/20/2021): In 1842, Lord James Dewar, physician who invented 
the vacuum flask and cordite, and the first smokeless powder. (Actually, the first 
true smokeless powder – Poudre B – was invented by Frenchman Paul Vieille, in 1884 
but the French tended to be secretive about their weapons developments.  Along with 
Sir Frederick Abel and a Dr. W. Kellner, Dewar did not patent cordite until 1889 
and it entered British military use in 1891.  Cordite is so named because it was 
made in strings, whose thickness varied according to the rifle cartridges or 
artillery shells in which it was used.  For many decades, fiction writers 
erroneously referred to “the smell of cordite” after the discharge of handguns.  
By the way, the “B” in Poudre B is for “blanche” – the French word for “white” – used 
to distinguish the new powder from blackpowder.  
-- Stephen P. Wenger, W2MRA from his weely emailing
 
"Cogito, ergo armatum sum." (I think, therefore armed am I.)
-- John Farnam
 
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*****     *****     ***** Hardware (which includes you) *****     *****     *****
 
"I would like to see every
woman know how to handle
guns as naturally as they
know how to handle babies."
-- Annie Oakley
 
----- Gear ----- 
 
“Mission drives the gear train.”
-- Pat Rogers
 
"What Makes A Good Handgun Holster?" by TAMARA KEEL
Excerpts:  
     . . . a holster needs to safely hold a handgun in such a way that 
it cannot be inadvertently fired when in the holster.  
     . . . [the holster] should . . . present the gun to your hand at 
the same angle, in the same orientation, every time you reach for it.  
     The holster needs to have positive enough retention that the gun 
won’t come out unless you mean it.  
     . . . the holster should allow your hand to achieve a full firing 
grip on the gun.  
     . . . the holster should be durable and well-built.  
 
"Skill Set: What Is a Good Holster?" by Tiger McKee
 
"Gun Owner 101: Choosing a Carry Gun" by Justin
Excerpts:  
     ". . . wait until a gun has been on the market for a while before jumping in."  
     "Reliability"
     Paraphrasing -- Don't spend all your money buying an expensive pistol.  
Save enough money to buy several magazines for your pistol, a good quality 
holster, and quality ammunition.
 
     "I place a high priority on having equipment I can operate with either hand.  
I am also a strong believer in carrying a gun accessible to each hand.  
It certainly makes no sense to carry a gun intended for use in the left hand that 
has a safety lever designed only for use in the right hand."  
-- STEPHEN P. WENGER, "Defensive Use Of Firearms"
 
     Just because you're right handed does not mean you are going to be right 
handed in combat.  
---
     Accessible to each hand means you have to be able to access your pistol 
with your support side hand, establish the correct grip while the pistol is 
still in the holster, and present the pistol to the target with the support 
side hand only.  Oh yes, it can be done reliably.  
     Techniques for right handers using their left hand only when the pistol 
is holstered on your belt at 3 o'clock:  
1.  Reach behind your back, establish your grip, keep your pistol pointed 
down as you bring it around your back to present to the target.
2.  Reach in front, palm outboard, thumb pointed forward, establish your grip, 
and present to the target.  
     [If you don't have the flexibility for techniques 1 or 2, you can try the following.]
3.  Reaching across your front, pull the pistol out of the holster just enough 
to be able to rotate the pistol around 180 degrees, establish your grip, and 
present to the target.  [If it's dangerous to do this with your holster, 
because you've got a SERPA Blackhawk and the pistol will get permanently jammed 
in the holster, you can try the next technique.]
4.  Reaching across your front, pull the pistol out of the holster and trap 
it between your knees.  Establish your grip and present to the target.  
     Techniques 1 and 2 require some flexibility, which you will have after stretching 
for a week of two.  But, notice that they don't require you to change your grip.  
So, they are much faster.  
     [Some of these techniques are dangerous.  So, you will never see them taught 
in NRA classes.  They will get you disqualified in any IDPA or IPSC match.  I've 
never seen them taught at the Tactical Conference.  Similarly for techniques for 
shooting at targets behind you (without turning around, because you're not able to, 
as when you are buckled into your seat in a car or holding someone who doesn't 
want to be held).  Because you never need to do such things in training or competitions.  
But, you may need to in combat.  So, we teach such techniques.  Such is freedom.  
Freedom and safety are not mutually exclusive. . . . And then again, perhaps they are.]
---
     If your pistol has a thumb safety on the left side of your pistol, 
any competent gunsmith can add a lever for a thumb safety on the right 
side of the pistol, so that you can use the pistol left handed.  
No, really, don't let anyone tell that it can't be done.  Gunsmiths are 
like doctors, sometimes you need to get a second opinion.  Because some 
are quacks.  
     I remember my father trying to convince my grandfather to come to 
Honolulu to see a real doctor, because my father thought that my grand-
father's doctor on Maui was a quack.  But, grandfather loved his doctor, 
trusted his doctor, etc.  The problem is that charisma and a good bed 
side manner are not correlated with competence.  Similarly for all professions.  
 
     "While this double-action/single-action combination can be mastered, 
it is a greater challenge than to master a gun that fires in the same mode for each shot."
-- STEPHEN P. WENGER, "Defensive Use Of Firearms"
---
     When I see someone stabbing himself with a knife, I tell him stop doing that 
because he is hurting himself.  Similarly, when I see a person using a DA/SA 
pistol, I tell him to stop using that pistol because he is developing all kinds 
of training scars.  And having to decock before holstering increases the complexity 
of his manual of arms, and not decocking will lead to a negligent discharge.  
And having a long heavy trigger pull almost ensures you won't have an accurate 
first shot.  Which is by far the most important shot.  
     The argument that a long heavy initial trigger pull prevents negligent 
discharges is a fallacious argument.  If the operator is getting negligent discharges 
with a single action or striker action, he should not be carrying a pistol in 
the first place, because his training and practice are insufficient.  
 
     "If you make a fist but leave your index finger extended and, while standing, 
place it at your waist, just above your hip joint, you will find that your finger 
points straight down. If you now start moving your fist to the rear, you will 
find that the finger starts pointing increasingly to the rear.  Similarly, if you 
move the fist forward of the hip joint, the finger will point increasingly forward.  
This should suggest that the angle or rake of the holster should be selected for 
where on the belt you plan to position the holster."
-- STEPHEN P. WENGER, "Defensive Use Of Firearms"
---
     Yes, it is essential that you acquire your grip on your pistol while the 
pistol is still fully in the holster and that your wrist is straight when you 
acquire your grip.  Otherwise, you will eventually foul your presentation or 
even drop your pistol.  
 
     The primary advantage of an inside the waistband holster and magazine pouch 
is that the tension of your belt will hold your gear snugly against your body, 
as opposed to flopping around outside of your belt when you move.  Better concealment 
is secondary.  
 
"Hang Fires and Squib Loads – Dangerous Ammunition Malfunctions" by Practical Defensive Training
 
     Ya, these could be frivolous law suits.  But so many over the same issue, over a 
widely dispersed geographic area?  That would make a conspiracy very difficult.  
Also, notice that there are a lot more reported incidents than there are law suits.  
This would be statistically expected if the reported incidents were true.  
---
"Lawsuit: Semi-automatic police service gun goes off by itself, nearly killing detective
Nine lawsuits are pending against Sig Sauer for similar claims. 
The gunmaker has previously denied liability." (in Texas)
by David Scott, Gerry Wagschal, Knez Walker, Alexandra Myers, and Lauren Effron 
Excerpt:  
     "Hilton's $15 million lawsuit said, "there have been 54 reported uncommanded discharges 
of the P320," meaning the gun went off by itself, over the last five years in 22 states and 
Washington, D.C."
     "There are currently 10 pending lawsuits against Sig Sauer for this particular firearm, 
all alleging the gun went off on its own.  A number of those suing the gunmaker said they 
are in law enforcement with extensive firearms experience."
     "Villani, who is an expert witness for Hilton in her lawsuit, said he began 
investigating the P320 after an officer in his police department was injured by an 
upgraded version of the gun."  [So, there are claims of "uncommanded discharges" 
on pistols that have had the upgrade per the voluntary recall. -- Jon Low]
---
     Note that this "uncommanded discharges" is a different problem from the pistol 
firing when dropped or when hit by a hammer.  There are dozens of YouTube.com videos 
and articles documenting that problem.  This claim is that the pistol fires without 
any impact and without the trigger being pressed.  
---
"New England gunmaker faces another lawsuit from police officer"
by Mike Beaudet (in Massachusetts)
Excerpts:  
     "Four officers from two local police departments in Massachusetts have had their 
weapons discharge without warning, without them pulling the trigger and 5 Investigates 
reported in June that one of them sued Sig Sauer in federal court in Boston."
     "5 Investigates has reviewed court records and media accounts and found dozens 
of reports from around the country and in Canada of Sig Sauer P320 handguns firing 
without a trigger pull since 2016."
     "It happened to Marcie Vadnais, a sheriff's deputy in Virginia, in 2018.
Vadnais was sitting in her cruiser, removing her holstered weapon from her belt, 
planning to leave it in the trunk while she went inside a building.
She said her P320 pistol fired on its own, into her thigh, shattering her femur."
     "Back in June, a lieutenant in the Cambridge Police Department filed a civil 
suit in federal court against Sig Sauer and the city of Cambridge after his 
department-issued P320 fired on its own in May 2019 while he was in the 
department's SWAT team van with six other officers."
---
From a friend via email -- [Proofread and edited for clarity. -- Jon Low]
     I bought a P320 new in the box from a gun store in Bowling Green, KY.  
I took it to a master machinist for inspection.  (He asked not to be identified.)  
His conclusion was that there was not sufficient sear engagement for the pistol 
to be safe.  On this sample, not supplied by the manufacturer for testing, 
there was 0.015 inches of sear engagement (the real sear, not the thingy that 
holds the striker back).  Which makes for a fine crisp trigger.  But, it also 
makes it fairly easy for the pistol to fire without the trigger being pressed.  
Maybe this pistol was defective?  Maybe this pistol was out of spec.?  But, it 
passed the manufacturer's inspection and was sold on the retail market.  
 
     Jeff Gonzales is teaching a concealed carry class in Oklahoma City on 
October 2-3, 2021 A.D.
     I found the equipment list interesting.  
BASIC CARRY GEAR:
Defensive pistol, 9mm recommended
1,000 rounds of practice ammunition
25 rounds of defense ammunition
5 x pistol magazines minimum (8 for single stacks)
5 x inert training rounds
Training uniform required:
   Polo or T-shirt
   Button-down shirt
   Jacket or coat
   Sweater or hoodie
Concealed carry gear
   Sturdy belt
   Inside the Waistband (IWB) holster
   Outside the Waistband (OWB) holster
   Single and or double magazine pouch
Handheld flashlight with pocket clip
Clear/tinted ballistic wrap around eye protection
Hearing protection
Cleaning kit and lubrication
Notebook and pencil
Water and snacks
Open mind
Course cost is $525
 
Free shipping on a case of TULA 223, 43 cents per round
use coupon code
TUL223FS
during checkout
 
"SPARE AMMO
HOW MANY ROUNDS SHOULD A PISTOL-PACKER PACK?
IT’S A CONTENTIOUS DEBATE"
BY MASSAD AYOOB
Excerpt:  
     "Think of spare ammo as analogous to your fire insurance: 
“It’s not about the odds, it’s about the stakes.”  
Extra rounds are like the gun itself: 
“better to have and not need, than to need and not have.” "
 
Flashlights
     Your flashlight should have a pressure switch for your thumb at the rear end.  
Press on, release off.  Anything beyond that is a bad idea.  
     The following "features" will not serve your well:  
click switches, colored lights, variable intensity lights, strobes, programmable 
settings, etc.  
     Simple is more reliable.  Simple is easier to control under stress.  
Simple is better.  
 
"Energizer® Tactical Metal Flashlight" by Claude Werner
 
"THE FLASHLIGHT
YOUR BEST DEFENSIVE TOOL"
BY TIGER MCKEE
Excerpt:  
     "Lights with one mode of output are best.  You don’t want the light cycling 
from low to high to strobe to S.O.S. and back again as you’re using the 
momentary switch.  Keep it simple."
 
“Your car is not a holster.” -- Pat Rogers
 
----- Technical / Maintenance -----
 
"Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee
 
Flux is the rate of flow of particles (light) through a given surface.  

Candela is a measure of luminous intensity equal to 1/60 of the luminous 
intensity per square centimeter of a blackbody radiating at 2,046 Kelvin.
In the SI system, Candela is a basic unit.  So, the measure would be in 
units of Cd, the symbol for Candela.  

Lumen is a measure of luminous flux, equal to the amount of light per unit time 
passing through a solid angle of one steradian from a light source of one candela 
intensity radiating equally in all directions.  (Candela - steradian) per second.

Lux is a measure of illumination in units of lumens per square meter.  

So, flashlights should be rated by Lux, but it is so much easier to deceive 
you by giving you measurements of Candela or Lumens, which as you can see 
are meaningless without more context, such as the measurement of the cone 
of the projected light in steradians.  Such a cone is never uniform, so 
the flux density at a given angle from the center axis of the cone needs 
to be given as a function of the solid angle subtended, as well as the size 
of the cone in units of steradians.  
 
"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Instruction *****     *****     *****

Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:
"We are not God's gift to our students.
Our students are God's gift to us."
 
----- Instructors -----
 
Remember, the students who require the extra effort are the ones who need us the most!
-- John Farnam
 
"Marksmanship Matters.  It really does." hosted by Lee Weems
John Holschen, John Hearne, David Cagle, and Lee Weems review a class 
taught by the legendary Larry Mudgett.
     Fire every student's gun to determine where it is zeroed.  Your group may not be 
in the same place as the student's group (assuming you both shoot tight groups).  
Because of different grip pressure.  
     With iron sights, your front sight is about 18 MOA (minutes of angle), whereas 
the typical red dot sight is about 6 MOA.  So, you'll see movement with a red dot 
that you won't see with an iron sight.  
     If your trigger has any over travel (movement after sear release), you've 
got a problem that needs to be fixed.  Call your gunsmith.  Otherwise, you won't 
get accurate shots because the trigger will be banging the frame as the sear is 
released.  All manufacturers who know what they are doing have some kind of 
over travel stop.  Don't adjust this yourself unless you really know what you're 
doing, because if you reduce the over travel too much, you won't be able to press 
the trigger far enough to release the sear and the pistol won't fire.  
     Skip loading.  Also known as ball and dummy.  (Having someone else load live 
and dummy rounds into your magazine.)  To reduce flinching.  Strive for a surprise 
break on each shot.  
     Take a class from Larry Mudgett.  He's not going to be around forever.  
 
     Be careful what you teach.  
Because your students will do in combat
whatever you have trained them to do, 
no matter how ridiculous.
-- "Shooting in Self-Defense" by Sara Ahrens
 
----- Andragogy -----
 
     An instructor should not expect any learning to take 
place the first time new information is presented.  
-- "Building Shooters" by Dustin Solomon
 
"Women's issues" by Stephen P. Wenger, W2MRA.  Via email response to my question.  
     Aside from size-to-hand-issues, because of soft skin, many women are also sensitive 
to sharp checkering and hard nubs on grip surfaces.  A former student of mine purchased 
- on my advice - a Kahr K9, before Kahr began offering the polymer-frame models.  When 
the latter came on the market, I purchased a P9 and had her shoot the two side by side.  
I expected her to comment on the slight increase in recoil with the slightly lighter P9 
but her comment was that, unlike with the somewhat soft wraparound grip of the K9, the 
square checkering on the polymer frame bothered her.  I find the size/contour of the 
OEM grip on Ruger's SP101 a bit small for my average-size male hands but many women who, 
for various reasons start with revolvers, like it because of its smooth, "soft" surface.  
Note that Hogue offers many of their grips in "soft, overmolded" versions.  Women 
typically have thinner fingers than men, making many finger-groove grips uncomfortable 
for them.  (Note that with their pistols now being made in the US, Glock has been 
phasing out the rudimentary finger grooves that had been used for "sporting purpose" 
point on the imported models.)  The OEM grip from Hogue on the Ruger LCR's has a more 
female-friendly finger-groove ridge than most but, if you visit my own website's 
Handgun Selection page, you will see that Hogue also offers a similar grip without it.  
My protégée Natalie is troubled by the finger-groove grips on my J-frame S&W revolvers 
but is able to shoot the similarly gripped K-frame guns without a problem.
     Women often differ from men in the perception of spatial relations.  Firearms 
instructors often see this in their failure to grasp two-dimensional images of sight 
alignment/sight picture.  As a result, many female students will place their shots 
high on the target  (If the target is close enough for the hits to be seen) because 
they raise the front sight out of the notch to focus on it as directed.  At one time, 
I actually built a coarse 3-D set of sights on a 2x4 for classroom demonstration.  
On the  range, I emphasize that the notch in the rear sight is a window that just 
happens to have had the top removed.  As soon as I see that a student is holding the 
front sight out of the notch, I placed a finger over the top of the rear sight and 
ask if she can still see the front sight.  When she says "no," I have her adjust her 
shooting position until she can see it, then repeat the window analogy.  You may not 
have time for this on the range but . . . Natalie had a persistent problem with this 
so I began using Claude Werner's two-tone paint scheme on the front sights of revolvers 
that have serrated, ramp sights.  After applying a base coat of white, I paint the 
portion of the blade that should be visible in proper sight alignment with 
"sublime green" (others may prefer different colors) so that, when the student sees 
white on the blade of the front sight, she knows that she's letting it climb out of 
the notch.  My experience with S&W revolvers is that the demarcation is usually  right 
at the halfway mark.  
     Regarding painting front sights on revolvers, Ruger's serration are quite 
shallow and the ramps on the later Colt DS family (with the ejector shroud) do not 
take paint well at all.  Since Dean Caputo serves as armorer for his department, he 
invested in a 25-line/inch (25 lpi) checkering file to prep those sight blades for 
painting.  It's probably not worth the investment for you but, if you have students 
who benefit from that two-tone paint job, it may be worth checking whether any of 
the gunsmiths in your area have such a file.  
     Many pistols and some revolvers come with some form of three=dot sights.  
Before Natalie switched over to revolvers, I used the mnemonic "three in a row" to 
remind her not to let the front sigh climb out of the notch.
     Women sometimes hear words differently from men.  While a male student will 
generally understand the cumulative process of aligning the sights, superimposing 
the aligned sights on the selected target, then operating the trigger without 
disturbing the sight picture, some female students hear this as unlinked steps and 
benefit from the wording, "while maintaining the sight picture, smoothly operate 
the trigger."  
     Regardless of sex, I have long been a user of what I call the assisted trigger 
drill:  When a student is not operating the trigger smoothly, I have her aim the gun, 
and place a relaxed finger on the trigger.  I then operate the trigger a few times 
(emphasizing that the return stroke should take the same time as the firing stroke) 
to let her see the shots hit the aiming point.  I then do a few repetitions with the 
student "helping" me with slight pressure, then wrap up with the student doing all 
the operation with my finger simply "monitoring" the stroke in each direction.
     SIG Academy developed a desensitization drill for all first-time students:  
Under close supervision, they fired the equivalent of a cylinder at a backstop with 
their eyes closed, to get accustomed to the sound of the gun firing.  Then they 
fired a few rounds at the backstop without aiming but watching the gun, to get 
accustomed to the appearance of its arc of recoil.  It can be done with any gun but 
several revolver instructors have adopted the practice of having students fire an 
empty, primed case so hat they will recognize the reduced sound of a squib load and 
cease firing.
     It's been more than a decade since I read Vicki Farnam and Diane Nicholl's 
"Teaching Women to Shoot: A Law Enforcement Instructor's Guide".  I found it of 
very limited value, partly because it is structured with a bias toward teaching 
the Farnam version of a bladed - hence tactically limited "Weaver" shooting position 
- as superior for women.  In fact, I came away from it with the sense that the book 
would better have been titled "Teaching Female Officers to Qualify with a Handgun".  
That said, if you are routinely challenged in teaching female students, it may be 
worth the price to gamble on picking up one more pearl or two.
-- Stephen P. Wenger, W2MRA
  
     "The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other.  
Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspectives."  
-- Robert John Meehan
 
*************************************************************************
*****     ***** Legal *****     *****
 
     "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. 
It is wholly inadequate for the governance of any other.
-- John Adams, October 11, 1798
 
"Estonia: Supreme Court Finds for Reasonable Self Defense" by Dean Weingarten
     The lower courts convicted him and sentenced him to prison.  The Supreme 
Court reversed the lower courts.  Sometimes we win.  
 
"Law of Self Defense News/Q&A Show for September 16, 2021" by Andrew Branca
* Mohamed Noor Minnesota Supreme Court Decision re: depraved mind murder
* Man who shot teen on RTD bus says it was in self defense
* Analyzing Very Complex Use-of-Force Scenarios?
* Choice of OC Spray for Non-Deadly Self-Defense?
* Permitted to Argue Self-Defense Even if Elements Lacking?
* Legal Risks of Use of Suppressors for Home Defense
 
"Law of Self Defense Principles" by Andrew F. Branca
     Free of charge.  
 
"Illinois Supreme Court reviews decision on firearm owner rights" by Jerry Nowicki 
     The Illinois State Police denied Brown a Firearm Owners Identification card.  
The State District Court overturned that decision, granting Brown the 
Firearm Owners Identification card.  The State Appeals Court overturned the District 
Court ruling, and denied Brown the Firearm Owners Identification card.  So, 
the State Supreme Court is presently considering the case.  
     Brown has a 2001 conviction in California on a “misdemeanor offense of 
inflicting corporal injury on a spouse” which is a misdemeanor domestic violence 
conviction under federal law.  
     "Federal law does, however, allow exceptions for gun ownership if a person 
convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor has had “civil rights restored” in 
the jurisdiction that convicted them – in this case, California."
     ". . . California only penalizes gun possession for 10 years following a 
misdemeanor conviction.  That means, they (Brown's attorneys) argue, Brown had 
his civil rights restored under California law in 2011, qualifying him for the 
federal exception that would in turn qualify him for a Firearm Owners Identification 
card."  
     Actually, this is pretty significant, depending on how the majority decision 
is written.  
 
"Dozens of Supreme Court Briefs Supporting Gun-Carry Restrictions Come In as Submissions Close"
by Jake Fogleman
     This is all about New York City's restrictive "may issue" carry permitting system.  
Very corrupt, very difficult for the law abiding citizen to get a carry permit.  
Donald Trump had a New York City carry permit.  
 
"Judge Rules Against Cop Who Arrested Legal Gun Owner" by Guns & Gadgets
     Sometimes we win!
 
     “Is there no virtue among us?
If there is not, we are without hope!
No form of government, existing nor theoretical, will keep us from harm.
To think that any government, in any form, 
will insure liberty and happiness for an dishonorable population 
represents the height of self-deception.”
-- James Madison, 1788
 
*****     ***** Political, Religious, and Philosophical *****     *****
 
"Goodby 1A!" BY JOHN FARNAM
     This is coming to a neighborhood near you.  Felony crime of disseminating 
misinformation.  "Misinformation" is never defined.  So, you've committed the 
crime.  As Joe Biden has said, "Bingo!"
 
"General Smedley D. Butler: War Is A Racket"
 
"Let’s pretend!" BY JOHN FARNAM
    This is reality.  Be aware of it.  Prepare for it.  
Because if it takes you by surprise, it will kill you and your loved ones.  
I am speaking literally, not metaphorically.  
 
"One of the foundations of a democratic society is knowing where to place your machine gun." 
-- Corporal Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst in "Last Of The Summer Wine"
 
"Strapped: Black Women Are Becoming Registered Gun Owners At An Incredible Rate"
by Shannon Dawson
     This appeared in Yahoo!Life.  Think about that.  
 
"The Racist History of Gun Control" by Ashley Hlebinsky
     There have been many psychology studies on attractiveness, physical beauty, etc. 
in an attempt to quantify objective standards of what people consider pretty and 
what people consider ugly.  It is rare for these studies to get published in peer 
reviewed journals because, by and large, they are politically incorrect and show a 
correlation between political view and attractiveness.  This goes back to Voltaire 
(François-Marie Arouet), who said "The face is the mirror of the soul."
     The truth is that pro-gun (which is the same as pro-freedom) people are 
objectively good looking, and anti-gun (anti-freedom) people are objectively ugly.  
And this is true across all races, all nationalities, and all times in which such 
studies have been conducted.  
     "So, why are some super models anti-gun?"  
     I would suggest that they are not.  They are simply parroting what they have 
been told to advance their career.  And if the policies were explained to them, 
they would be de facto pro-self-defense and hence pro-gun.  Listen to their 
interviews and compare them to the interviews of models who are pro-gun.  
The difference is fairly obvious.  
 
     The Russians are just as stupid as we are.  Gun-free-zones create unarmed 
victims for armed criminals to prey upon.  
"Russia shooting: Gunman kills six at Perm University" by BBC from a Reuters news feed
[Tommy Glocer, a classmate from Columbia, used to be chairman of Reuters.  
I've noticed that my "friends" who rise to position of power won't take 
my calls, much less return them.]
At the end of the article, notice the links.  The Russian government is using the 
event to "tighten gun rules".  Is there anything left to tighten?  
"Shooting at Russian university leaves 6 dead, 28 hurt" by Jim Heintz - Associated Press
 
     "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, 
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."  
-- Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution 
 
     Please read this.  You'll be glad you did.  It is a scholarly work, but it is 
easy to read and has big color graphs to make the data easy to understand.  
"2021 National Firearms Survey" by William English, Ph.D.
Excerpt:  
     31.1% of gun owners, or approximately 25.3 million adult Americans, 
have used a gun in self-defense.
• In most cases (81.9%) the gun is not fired.
• There are approximately 1.67 million defensive uses of firearms per year.
• The majority of defensive gun uses take place outside of the home (74.8%), 
and many (51.2%) involve more than one assailant.
• Handguns are the firearm most commonly used in defensive incidents (65.9%), 
followed by shotguns (21.0%) and rifles (13.1%).
---
     "That 74.8% figure for DGU's outside the home drew my attention as news reports 
of home defense are much more common.  Then again, with 81.9% of DGU's [defensive gun use] 
not involving shots fired, a large proportion of the latter may not be reported to police.  
I've never identified myself as a Three Percenter but, in light of these figures, 
it sounds as though I'm a Nine Percenter.  In fairness, I've always been somewhat wary 
of what gun owners tell pollsters but I am impressed by this report."
-- Stephen P. Wenger, W2MRA
---
     A magazine article that summarizes the scholarly work, 
" ‘Nearly One-Third of Gun Owners Have Used Gun in Self-Defense,’ Says Report"
by Dave Workman
 
"At Real Clear Investigations: There Are Far More Defensive Gun Uses Than Murders In America.  
Here’s Why You Rarely Hear Of Them." by John Lott
 
     "Governments are instituted among men, 
deriving their just power from the consent of the governed." 
-- Thomas Jefferson
 
"Why the Ruling 'Elite' Is Anti-American | Highlight Ep.32" by Hillsdale College
 
"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty.  
Suspect every one who approaches that jewel.  
Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force.  
Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined." 
-- Patrick Henry, speech of June 5, 1788 A.D.
 
"The simple step of a courageous individual is to not take part in the lie."
-- Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
     So, if you're walking around wearing a mask, you've demonstrated your level of courage.  
 
"How much is a little girl worth?" by Tulsi Gabbard
     Oh yes, there are FBI agents far worse than wolves.  
"FBI complicit in sex crimes of pedophile rapist" by Tulsi Gabbard
     The FBI Special Agent in Charge was Jay Abbott, forced to retired by by 
FBI Director Christopher Wray.  Heard of him?  Oh, he's infamous, right up 
there with Lon Horiuchi.  Good thing President Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey.  
Because Comey kept promoting Abbott.
     The Supervisory Special Agent directly responsible for the investigation 
was Michael Langeman, fired by FBI Director Christopher Wray.  Never would have 
been fired by Comey.
     Elections have consequences.  
     More examples of men who are far more depraved than the wolves.  Because they 
protect the wolves and allow the wolves to prey on the sheep, in this case the children.  
 
     "In a U.S. House Judiciary Committee hearing, Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) relied 
on the CPRC's research to fight against Democrats' push for Red Flag laws. Unfortunately, 
Democrats are using the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill to give financial incentives 
for states to adopt them.  Congress will vote on this soon."  
-- Dr. John Lott
 
     Sign up for the Crime Prevention Research Center newsletter at
It's well worth your time.  
 
     Stephen P. Wenger sends out a regular email reporting on defensive use of firearms, 
so does the NRA in their magazines, so does Dr. John Lott in his emails and web site.  
There is very little overlap in these mailings.  So, a lot of bad guys are getting killed.  
Statistically speaking, the average criminal costs society about $800,000 in damage.  
Insurance companies put a price on a human life based on potential earned income and such.  
So, every bad guy that gets killed is saving society $800,000 in pain, suffering, property 
damage, etc.  Sometimes we win.  
 
"Militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves . . . 
And include all men capable of bearing arms." 
-- Senator Richard Henry Lee, 1788, on "militia" in the 2nd Amendment
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Survival, Medical, Security, and such *****     *****     *****
 
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
 
     The normal color of urine is clear.  If your urine is always yellow, you are 
chronically dehydrated, which will cause long term health problems.  You have to 
generate large volumes of clear urine by drinking water.  Water, not soda pop, 
not Gator Aide, not sweet tea.  Anything with sugar (and the afore mentioned 
have huge amounts of sugar) has to be diluted down to the concentration of your 
blood to be absorbed by your blood stream.  So, drinking sugary drinks draws 
water out of your blood stream to dilute the drink, effectively dehydrating 
you.  No, Gator Aide is NOT good for you.  All research indicating that Gator 
Aide is good for you was funded by Gator Aide.  It's pure propaganda.  
I can say this because I don't take money from Gator Aide.  
 
     The guy next to me in the Red Bicycle coffee shop says, 
"She was T-boned.  Some guy ran a red light.  It wasn't her fault at all."  
And then he tells of her injuries, quite severe.  
     The incident may be completely the other guy's fault.  You may be completely 
innocent.  You can still get hurt and hurt bad.  
     So, what does it matter that you were the innocent good gal.  
You have to live defensively.  You have to protect yourself.  Drive defensively.  
Travel defensively.  Reside defensively.  Make friends defensively.  Take lovers 
defensively.  Study defensive pistolcraft.  So, that your personality, body 
language, and life choices are defensive.  
     "I don't want to live like that, in a state of paranoia."
     Nonsense.  I live that way and am not paranoid.
     Some people get banged up in traffic negligence, some don't.  It's not random.  
It's not an accident.  Take responsibility for everything that happens to you.  
Because you are in control.  No, you are not a victim of anything.  
     Why do you suppose she let that driver T-bone her?  Lack of awareness.  Lack 
of training.  Lack of decisiveness.  Lack of "I am in control.  I am driving this 
car, and I know who is around me what they are doing."  Attitude.  
     She is going to lose more money than she would have spent on a defensive 
driving course to avoid the incident.  She is going to spend far more time in the 
hospital and at home recovering than she would have spent on a defensive driving 
course to avoid the collision.  She is going to suffer a lot of pain; at a 
defensive driving course, she would have had a lot of fun.  Yes, choices have 
consequences.  
     "But, it's not my fault.  I shouldn't have to spend the time and money to 
compensate for other people's incompetence."  
     Stop and think about that statement.  As a matter of fact, such thinking 
is ridiculous (in the sense of the Harry Potter books).  
     I have a friend who is very Christian.  She won't read the Harry Potter books 
to her kids, because of the witchcraft.  But, the Harry Potter stories are a very 
conservative morality tale.  That's why the liberals are always attacking 
Joanne K. Rowling.  
 
"Gather Round And Take A Knee: Survival Tips With Sergeant Paine" by Jeff Paine
     The part about how to use a brassiere as a survival tool was useful.  
Of course, you have to have someone who wears such a thing.  
 
"If you stay fit, you do not have to get fit. 
If you stay trained, you do not have to get trained. 
If you stay prepared, you do not have to get prepared."
-- Robert Margulies
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Miscellany / History / War Stories *****     *****     *****
 
"Good habits and skill beat luck every time."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson
 
     I gave a lecture on Personal Security and Self Defense at the Gordon Jewish 
Community Center.  After the lecture, a lady who is an attorney approached me and 
told me how difficult mounting a self defense case is.  So, it's going to cost a 
lot of money.  She also mentioned an analysis of the battered spouse syndrome 
defense, saying that it was a combination of self defense and temporary insanity 
(in Tennessee case law).  
     During the lecture it became obvious that many of the audience members believed 
that George Zimmerman was the bad guy who got off on a technicality and Trayvon 
Martin was the unarmed innocent little child.  I told them that was false.  But, 
people will believe what they choose to believe.  Or, they believe the media that 
they choose to consume.  
     I got side tracked answering questions and a lot of audience members had stories 
to tell.  Seniors love to tell stories.
 
"Houston Police Department: 3 suspects killed, 1 wounded by homeowner during home invasion"
by KPRC (a TV station)
     Sometimes we win.  
     Notice how many rounds the home invaders fired (the shell casings found on the 
street outside the home).  Good guys sustained no injuries.  Though there was 
probably extensive property damage inside the house.  
 
"Berry's Paradox - An Algorithm For Truth" by Jade
     Do you see the connection to Godel's Incompleteness Theorem?  
I spent a lot of time studying algorithmic information theory.  
Yes, I have read Chaitin and Kolmogorov.  Misspent youth.  
 
"Leonard Susskind - Why Black Holes are Astonishing"
     This is really sloppy.  "Physics" does not say information cannot be lost.  
Much to the contrary, the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics says the entropy of the
universe increases (and only stays the same in reversible processes).  
Entropy increasing is the same as information decreasing (getting lost).  
So, "physics" says information decreases (both forward and backwards in time).  
What Susskind means is certain information is conserved at the quantum 
mechanical level in certain processes which are assumed to be reversible, 
in accordance with certain conservation laws.  Because some conservation 
laws are violated on the small scale.  
 
All kinds of neat stuff at:  
     DTI Operator Series by John Farnam
     "Tactical Moment" by John Holschen
     Sheriff Jim Wilson
     Stephen P. Wenger (you can download his books free of charge, as they 
are presently out of print)
     Practical Eschatology by Docent
     The Tactical Professor by Claude Werner
     Active Response Training by Gregg Ellifritz
     Quips by John Farnam
     Rangemaster newsletter by Tom Givens
     CIVILIAN DEFENDER by Sherman House
     Handgun Combatives by Dave Spaulding
     Marcus Wynne
     Jeff Gonzales
Blog
Training videos
     Michael Bane
     Jerry Miculek - Pro Shooter
     OODA Loop
     Active Self Protection YouTube.com channel
     Michael Mann Security
YouTube.com channel
     Guardian News Podcast
 
“In the long-run, there is no such thing as ‘luck’. 
However, the short-run is longer than many individual lifetimes!”
-- Anon
 
     This is the result of sloppy tradecraft.  Don't be that guy.  
"Salisbury poisonings: Third man faces charges for Novichok attack" by Gordon Corera
 
     I have received email from foreigners who read this newsletter and the 
"Defensive Pistol" pamphlet linked in the column to the right on this web page.  
(The link is labeled "Lesson plans".)
Some seem to think that these postings are ethnocentric.  Thank you.  My mother 
always told me to assume that any statement directed toward me is a complement 
and to thank the person for the complement.  
     My ancestor (five generations ago) traveled from China to California to 
work on the railroads.  It was either that or starve to death in China.  So, I 
don't have much sympathy for first world socialists complaining.  Move!  As Massad 
Ayoob says, "It is that simple."  (People tell Mas "It's not that simple."  
When he tells them to move to a free state where they can carry guns to protect 
themselves and their loved ones.)  
 
The Warrior's Prayer
Dear God,
     Please give us discernment to distinguish friend from foe from innocent bystanders. 
Give us clear vision so our aim is true. 
Give us calm so we execute correctly. 
Give us spiritual maturity so that we stop the enemy's attack 
without excessive force, without revenge. 
In Jesus name, Amen.
 
Semper Fidelis,
Jonathan D. Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com
   

Thursday, September 16, 2021

CWP, 16 September MMXXI Anno Domini

The Warrior's Prayer
Dear God,
     Please give us discernment to distinguish friend from foe from innocent bystanders. 
Give us clear vision so our aim is true. 
Give us calm so we execute correctly. 
Give us spiritual maturity so that we stop the enemy's attack without excessive force, without revenge. 
In Jesus name, Amen.
 
Hi Sheepdogs, 
     I know that the instructor is supposed to repeat the question for everyone 
to hear before answering the question.  If you notice answers to questions 
without the question being printed, please attribute it to my negligence.  
 
"One of the foundations of a democratic society is knowing where to place your machine gun." 
-- Corporal Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst in "Last Of The Summer Wine"
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Software *****     *****     *****
 
----- Basics -----
 
"Better to stay out of trouble than get out of trouble."
-- Tactical Professor (Claude Werner)
 
"Back to Basics with Jeff Gonzales Episode 3: Safe Firearm Storage" by Jeff Gonzalez
 
"Judgement Day: Guardian Training and Consulting" by Patrick McCarthy 
Excerpt:  
     "If your fundamentals are solid, you’ll be able to quickly and reliably put 
rounds where they need to go.  But that’s only one piece of the puzzle — it’s also 
critical to know when to shoot.  Missing a shot might have serious consequences, 
but shooting someone without adequate justification (or hesitating to shoot when 
you need to) is guaranteed to be a life-altering event."
---
     I'm not familiar with Guardian Training and Consulting, but I do know that 
Bill Hayes gives an excellent simulator class on No-shoot / Shoot decision making.  
 
"PISTOL-PACKIN' PRIMER
A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO DEFENSIVE FIREARMS" BY WILL DABBS, MD
Excerpt:  
     "If you are, like me, a card-carrying gun nerd, then maybe try to dial 
the vernacular back a bit when you have the privilege of introducing a 
neophyte to the shooting sports.  We have our own language and mannerisms, 
and it is easy to forget how difficult it can be to break into this 
fraternity from a cold start.  Be patient and encouraging, and you will, 
more than likely, earn a new friend." 
 
“If you are reading this and can’t put your hand on your defensive firearm, 
all of your training is wasted.” -- Col. Jeff Cooper
 
----- Aftermath -----
(You have to be alive to have these problems:  criminal and civil liability.)
 
“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, 
but because he loves what is behind him.”
― G.K. Chesterton
 
     I asked Massad Ayoob, who sits on the board of 
Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network, Inc., how many claims from their 
members do they deny.  And whether their decisions are obvious or if 
they struggle over the decisions.  His response was, 
"I only recall one.  She had committed an armed robbery/home invasion.  
Not a tough call, and not something our members would want to pay for."
     I found it interesting that in the history of that organization 
they had only denied one claim.
     So, while some of these self defense insurance policies have a panel 
that decides whether or not they think it was self defense, the real 
question is how strict is their criteria and how often do they in fact 
pay out.  Of course, the whole statistic is very skewed because very 
few good guys get into trouble in the first place.  So, every incident 
could legitimately be considered a statistical outlier.  [Extremely 
small data set statistics.  That's why self defense insurance is so cheap.]
 
     Please check out the web page "Self Defense Insurance" by clicking 
on the link in the column to the right.  
 
     Jack Wilson, the hero of the West Freeway Church of Christ incident, 
"Jack Wilson, Texas Church Shooting Hero: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know"
was sued by three persons present at the church during the incident.  
Not by the family of the guy he shot.  The three law suits were frivolous, 
claiming that Wilson was responsible for their safety and did not act 
quickly enough.  Remember, Wilson was a volunteer.  So, these three 
congregation members were not paying Wilson to do anything.  All three 
law suits were dismissed by the presiding judge, thank God.  But, 
Wilson still had to pay attorneys to defend against these law suits.  
U.S. Law Shield took care of legal fees.  But, it was still a big hassle.  
     That was the civil side.  On the criminal side, it took 9 months for 
the government to clear Wilson of all criminal liability.  So, Wilson 
had to hire an attorney to work through that legal process.  U.S. Law 
Shield paid the legal fees.  Chelsea, a representative from U.S. Law Shield, 
gave us a brief on the incident at an Armed Guard class at Royal Range 
in Nashville, TN.  12 September 2021.  
 
“Your understanding and consent are not required for someone to take 
your life, kill your loved ones, and destroy all you hold dear.” 
-- William Aprill 
 
----- Mindset (figuring out the correct way to think) -----
 
Awareness, Avoidance, De-Escalation, and Escape
 
"There are no victims, only volunteers.  
You volunteer by looking uncertain and afraid.  
You volunteer by being, as grass-eaters invariably are, 
unprepared to confront the hazards of life."
— Jeff Cooper
 
"These 2 Discipline Hacks Changed My Life" by Warrior Poet Society
     Self discipline is difficult.  The author gives two suggestions for gradually 
working your way into good habits for self discipline.
 
"It’s not about the odds, it’s about the stakes."
     The probability of you being attacked may be very low.  That does not matter.  
What you will lose, if you are not prepared, not aware, and don't act immediately 
and decisively, is all that matters.  
 
*************************************************************************
----- Safety -----
 
Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety  
RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED.  
RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY.
RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET. 
RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET.  
 
"Can You Really Prevent Unintentional Discharges?" by Chuck Remsberg
Excertp:  
     “We really don’t know the amount or nature of training that might be best,” 
Lewinski says.  “But Heim’s studies suggest that current training is not providing 
wholly satisfactory solutions to the problem [of negligent discharges].”
 
"Tatiana Whitlock:  How to Travel Safely"
Excerpt:  
     "The next thing is discretion at check-in.  I really would prefer 
that the person checking me in does not announce my room number when 
they assign it.  I’ve even gone in the elevator, waited for the lobby 
to clear, come back out and asked from my room to be reassigned because 
the guy who followed me into the parking lot and into the lobby, didn’t 
leave until after my room number was noticed and then he walked right out.  
I’m not OK with that . . . I’m more than happy to go and request a 
different room because they’ve compromised my safety."
 
"Drive-Thru Followup" by John Farnam
 
"Complacency Can Get You Killed" by Sheriff Jim WIlson 
 
"Why Staying Alert is Key for Personal Defense" by Sheriff Jim WIlson 
 
John Farnam's rules to keep you out of trouble:  
Don't go to stupid places.  
Don't do stupid things.  
Don't hang out with stupid people.  
Be in bed by 10 PM.  Your own bed.  
Don't look like a freak. 
Don't fail the attitude test.  
 
*************************************************************************
----- Training (figuring out the correct tasks to learn) -----
 
     You need training because:  
You don't know what you don't know.  
Much of what you know is false.  
It's good to the have the answers before the criminal tests you.  
-- Claude Werner (paraphrased)
 
     Excerpts from an email from Patrick Kilchermann.  
"Surviving Violence has shockingly little to do with how well you can hit 
bullseyes at the range.  It has very little do with how well you can shoot."
STEP 1: The Effective Warrior Understands what will be demanded of him or 
her when they are attacked.
STEP 2: The Effective Warrior knows what they need to learn in order to 
be READY for that moment.
STEP 3: The Effective Warrior takes responsibility for their readiness 
level and then takes ACTION TO GET THERE.
 
"The real value of training and practice isn't gaining technical competence, 
it's achieving confidence in your abilities."
-- Claude Werner
 
"How a Mass. sergeant [Sergeant Nick Bettano] singlehandedly stopped an active shooter" 
by Lt. Dan Marcou
Excerpt:  
     "Sergeant Bettano was kind enough to share some insights on how others 
faced with such a challenge could prepare to prevail as he did:
     He said, “Train! Train! Train!” Nick’s 10 years as a military police officer, 
where he was deployed on two occasions to Guantanamo, allowed him to train 
extensively in the skills he used on that day.  The sergeant also said his 
department, as well as his regional SWAT team, have always been very proactive in 
training.  
     “Train to the point where your training automatically kicks in when 
the situation starts.  It needs to be automatic,” said Bettano.
     Consider carrying a trauma kit for others, as well as yourself.
     Take care of yourself physically and emotionally.
     Share with your family always. Remember they are in this with you."
     "Someday the honorable gunfighter could be you. Prepare!"
 
“The secret of success is this. 
Train like it means everything when it means nothing – so you can 
fight like it means nothing when it means everything.” 
-- Lofty Wiseman
 
     I'll be giving 4 hour lectures for Concealed Coalition at the Bass Pro 
in the Opry Mills shopping center in Nashville, TN.  
October 9th, 2021 A.D. from 9:30am - 1:30pm
November 6th, 2021 A.D. from 9:30am - 1:30pm
     We'll be doing the paperwork for the baby Tennessee Handgun Permit aka 
"Concealed Handgun Carry Permit", as opposed to the "Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit".  
As of 1 July 2021 no permit is required to carry concealed in Tennessee, but 
there are lots of restrictions as to where you can carry without a permit.  
So, without a permit you're a third class citizen.  
The class will be just talk, no live fire, no hands on pistol manipulation.  
Hopefully, lots of useful educational discussion.  
     Background, 
click on "Concealed Handgun Carry Permit (Effective 1/1/2020)"
     On July 1st of 2021 the "Constitutional Carry" (misnomer) law went into effect.  
So, you don't need a permit to carry in Tennessee.  But, it's nice to have 
the Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit for when you travel to other free states.  
 
"Training is NOT an event, but a process. 
Training is the preparation FOR practice". 
-- Claude Werner
 
*************************************************************************
----- Practice (how to get good at that task) -----
 
     Practice is the small deposits you make over time, 
so that in an emergency, you can make that big withdrawal. 
-- Chesley Burnett Sullenberger, III
 
Col. Kitchens sends words of wisdom.
Excerpt:  
     "It takes a hundred times to remeber the moves, 
a thousand times to make them beautiful, and 
ten thousand times to grasp their essence."
 
Why practice?
    "To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment
when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and
offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique
to them and fitted to their talents.  What a tragedy if
that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that 
which could have been their finest hour."
-- Winston Churchill
 
     "Be careful what you practice. 
Because you will do in combat whatever you have practiced, 
no matter how ridiculous."
-- "Shooting in Self-Defense" by Sara Ahrens
 
*************************************************************************
----- Tactics (tasks that you should strive to be able to do) -----
 
How do you win a gunfight? 
Don't be there.
-- John Farnam
 
     "Further, to quote the immortal words of Inspector Harry Callahan, 
“A man’s got to know his limitations.”  What may seem like a good tactic 
while you mull it over in your armchair may not work if it demands more 
skill than you have developed or if your selected equipment isn’t 
appropriate to the task."  
-- Stephen P. Wenger
 
     "Friends with extensive military experience assure me that they have 
spotted the reflections of night sights in soldiers’ eyeglass lenses."  
-- Stephen P. Wenger
     [Stop and think about that.  Wenger is talking about the tritium glow 
in the dark sights that are shining back towards you.  They are bright 
enough for the enemy to see them reflecting off your glasses or goggles.  
     When I was in the Marine Corps, we would paint our faces, including 
our glasses leaving only a small area in the center sufficient to see and 
aim the rifle.  The black Marines didn't have to paint up, but they had 
to keep their mouths closed, because the high contrast between black skin 
and white teeth is highly visible.  Everyone had to blacken their noses 
because it sticks out.  Physical contrast (anything sticking out, breaking 
the otherwise innocuous background pattern), brightness contrast, and color 
contrast must be eliminated. -- Jon Low]
 
     "Age and cunning beat youth and skill."  
-- Stephen P. Wenger
 
     You may get Stephen P. Wenger's book "DEFENSIVE USE OF FIREARMS"
free of charge at 
Click on the picture of the book at the bottom of the web page.  
 
"Individual Tactics with John Holschen" hosted by Lee Weems
    With regards to combat - Tactics is most important.  Marksmanship is not as important.  
So, practice your tactics.  Don't spend all your time on marksmanship.  No live ammo 
is required for tactics.  So, it's cheap and practical.  
 
"Tactical Moment" by John Holschen
 
"7 more tips for tactical movement" by Mike Wood
     We teach, don't attempt to clear your house, because clearing is dangerous.  
I know.  I've done it.  Even if you are intimately familiar with your house, 
you can still get ambushed.  Even if you have practiced for a year (every month 
at weekend drill), you can still lose (at annual training).  
     So, why do we teach you how to do it?  You hear glass breaking in the 
middle of the night.  You hear your daughter screaming from her bedroom 
down the hall.  You're not going wait for police.  You have to move quickly 
into position to apply controlled accurate fire within the safety rules.  
Getting yourself killed doesn't help anyone.  So, we train and practice.  
 
You win gunfights by not getting shot.
-- John Holschen
 
*************************************************************************
----- Techniques (ways to do that task) -----
 
"Use only that which works, 
and take it from any place you can find it."
-- Bruce Lee
 
     "Aiming at the chest can block your view of an assailant’s hands.  
Aiming at the pelvis will usually leave them visible."
-- STEPHEN P. WENGER
 
     "Shoot and scoot.  Because, return fire will be aimed at where you were."  
-- STEPHEN P. WENGER
 
     "Concealment allows you to leave the scene without being seen."  
-- STEPHEN P. WENGER
 
     "If you happen to be in an area with high wind, you may find that a wind at 
your back or gun side will counter the conventional technique for sweeping back 
one side of a front-opening garment in order to reach the holstered handgun."
-- STEPHEN P. WENGER
 
     You may get Stephen P. Wenger's book "DEFENSIVE USE OF FIREARMS"
free of charge at 
Click on the picture of the book at the bottom of the web page.  
 
     "Exercise.  Strengthen your hands and forearms particularly.  The usual 
warnings about checking with your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen 
apply. 
     I know this may seem odd in a low intensity basic class, but grip strength 
is one of the most important, and overlooked, factors in the ability to shoot 
a major caliber handgun well.  'Well' as in quickly and accurately." 
-- Steve Cooper, Paladin Training, Inc.
 
"Spread of the Modern Technique with Darryl Bolke"
Excerpt:  (paraphrased)
     The guys who shoot the Isosceles have to use the weapon mounted light 
because there is no other workable technique.  Whereas with the Weaver the 
Harries technique works well.  
     Drawing faster than you can think is bad.  Shooting faster than you 
can think is bad.  
 
"A police officer’s guide to the terrorist attack cycle
By learning to recognize the phases of the Terrorist Attack Cycle, 
you may be able to break the cycle before plans are finalized and lives are lost"
by Rick Samples
     Special Agent Samples has the courage to mention the politically correct 
terrorist groups.  Bravo!  
 
"It's not daily increase but daily decrease - hack away at the inessentials!" 
-- Bruce Lee
 
*************************************************************************
----- Education -----
 
"You will never get smarter or broaden your horizons 
if you're unwilling to learn from others and read."
-- Becca Martin
 
"The Expert Witness and Trial Strategy
An Interview with Massad Ayoob" by Gila Hayes
Excerpts:  (paraphrased and edited)
     Reaction to anticipated stimulus - .23 - .26 seconds or better.
1.14 seconds for reaction to unanticipated stimulus.
You are firing at a rate of one shot per .20 to .25 seconds. 
Bad guy can turn in as little as .25 seconds. It is going to take 
you the better part of a second or more than a second to 
process that, react, and stop shooting.
“Counselor, what the prosecution demands from this defendant is not humanly possible!”
 
"Cogito, ergo armatum sum." (I think, therefore armed am I.)
-- John Farnam
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Hardware (which includes you) *****     *****     *****
 
"I would like to see every
woman know how to handle
guns as naturally as they
know how to handle babies."
-- Annie Oakley
 
----- Gear ----- 
 
“Mission drives the gear train.”
-- Pat Rogers
 
"Flashlights!" by John Farnam
 
"A TOP CHOICE FOR THE APOCALYPSE
THE PELICAN 7100 LED TACTICAL FLASHLIGHT" BY LINDSEY BERTOMEN
Excerpt:  
     "If the user isn’t around a charging source, a common AA non-rechargeable 
battery will work.  That’s right.  It will work with the #1 most common battery 
in the entire world."
     "MSRP for the Pelican 7100 is $ 84.95."
 
     Your pistol and ammunition are heavy.  May I suggest you wear suspenders to 
help support and distribute the weight.  It will make carrying your gear much 
more comfortable.  I recommend heavy duty Perry suspenders. 
     If you are a female and you find the suspenders, as worn normally, uncomfortable 
on your breasts, may I suggest you wear the suspenders backwards with the Y in the 
front and the single strap going down to your belt between your breasts.  Females 
in my classes had been able to get this to work successfully and comfortably.  
 
"Why You Should Carry More Than One Magazine" by (no human author listed)
Excerpt:  
     "Part of the responsibility of gun ownership involves the regular inspection 
of your firearm."
 
"Loaded or empty chamber? For carry? For home defense?" by Mike Ox
     The purpose is to protect firemen in the event of a fire in your house.  
 
"Rock Island Armory's STK100
9mm Defense — Re-Engineered!"
by Roy Huntington
     Rear sight is not adjustable.  Windage adjustment is via the front sight.    
Rock Island Armory
     If the slow motion videos of the plastic / polymer frames bending and twisting 
bothers you, this may be the answer.  
 
     I had the opportunity to grope several versions of the FN 509.  Good news, 
it is completely ambidextrous.  Bad news, the trigger sucks.  $600 retail, too rich 
for me.  MSRP: $679.00
     I had an opportunity to fondle the IWI Masada.  Good news, it is completely 
ambidextrous and has a nice trigger.  $470 retail, not bad.  Bad news, it requires 
a punch to change the back straps.  Which is not a problem if you're never going 
to change them.  But, for an instructor trying to fit a pistol to a new student, 
it's something to be concerned about.  
 
     Ammunition Depot has Russian Tul ammo.  
 
"Negative Reactions Dominate Pistol-Brace Ban Proposal as Comment Period Ends"
by Jake Fogleman
 
     Bullpup is a good idea.  The compact form makes them portable and easily manipulated 
in close quarters.
 
"CARRYING JUNK?" BY SAMMY REESE
Excerpt:  
"We’re responsible for the condition of our own gear, so don’t be a cheapskate 
with the stuff you may have to bet your life on."
 
“Your car is not a holster.” -- Pat Rogers
 
----- Technical / Maintenance -----
 
"Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee
 
"Gun Cleaning & Maintenance" by Sam S.  
     Note that you only have problems with WD-40 if you leave it on your firearm 
for a prolonged period, years.  If you clean monthly, or weekly as I do my 
carry pistol, you will never have the described problem.  The real reason people 
use WD-40 is that compared to the other specialty items listed, it's dirt cheap.  
 
"Gun Cleaning For People Who Hate It" by BRYCE M. TOWSLEY
Excerpt:  
     "Although I hear WD40 disparaged by a lot of gun people, I have used it for 
years on the outside of my guns for short-term storage and have always been 
pleased with the results."
 
Concerning magazine springs (and other springs in your gun) - 
     Metal that gets bent back and forth beyond its limits of elasticity will 
"work harden".  Which means it becomes brittle and eventually breaks.
     Metal bent within its limits of elasticity (no permanent deformation) 
will bounce back without ill effect.  As long as the bending is not too fast, 
causing heat and such.  
     So, you have to look at the crystalline structure of the metal and figure 
out the stress and strain tensors.  But, we assume the gun company engineers 
have done that.  
 
"Sporting Ammunition and the Fire Fighter: What Happens When Ammo Burns?" by SAAMI
     Ammo, not in a firearm, that ignites (due to fire or such) doesn't penetrate much.
Ammo that is dropped from 65 feet doesn't ignite.  Ammo that is hit by bullets doesn't 
ignite.  If you force it to ignite, it doesn't propagate. (No chain reaction.)
If the ammo is not in a firearm, it does not impede firefighters.  
     Lucky you live in a modern first world country.  
 
     Guns are like girlfriends, if you don't grope, fondle, and clean regularly, 
they won't show you any love when you need them.
 
"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Instruction *****     *****     *****

Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:
"We are not God's gift to our students.
Our students are God's gift to us."
 
----- Instructors -----
 
Remember, the students who require the extra effort are the ones who need us the most!
-- John Farnam
 
     Yesterday, I found myself saying to a 16 year old female student,  
     "Please stop arguing with the lecturer.  Please listen and learn.  Trust us.  
We know what we are talking about.  You are only 16 years old.  You lack the life 
experiences to know that what you are saying is false."  
     "You have no legal training.  That is not how the legal system works."
     I really liked the fact that the student spoke up and questioned the young 
lady who was lecturing.  But, the students comments just got crazy in the sense 
that what she knew to be true was obviously from movies, TV, and social media.  
     When Claude Werner says, 
     "You need training because:  
You don't know what you don't know.  
*Much of what you know is false.*  
It's good to the have the answers before the criminal tests you."  
He is speaking deep truth.  Please be prepared for such students.  
If you only teach "advanced" courses to experienced serious gun people, 
you may never encounter the misinformed and the ignorant.  But, as John Farnam 
says, "They are the ones who need you the most."  
 
     As an instructor, your job is to teach your student to execute a technique 
quickly, because whoever scores a hit first usually wins the fight.  But, in 
order to teach, you have to demonstrate the technique slowly, sometimes painfully 
slowly, so that your students can see and understand what is going on.  Especially, 
if the student has never seen the technique before.  If you don't practice moving 
very slowly, you won't be able to.  It's an acquired skill, like any other.  
     "See how fast I can do it?  Copy me!" is a bad attitude.  
     If you're going too fast for your students to follow and you don't know it.  
You've got a real problem.  You need to get more honest feedback from your 
students.  The way Tactical Response "asks" for feedback in a group setting is 
wrong on many levels.  Not the least of which is the intimidation factor.  
You have to send out written questionnaires after the class, asking the students 
to help you improve the class.  You have to talk to the student individually.  
Because the students understand, "Praise publicly, discipline privately."  
 
"Instructor’s Guide to Using PowerPoint Well" by Justin
 
     Be careful what you teach.  
Because your students will do in combat
whatever you have trained them to do, 
no matter how ridiculous.
-- "Shooting in Self-Defense" by Sara Ahrens
 
----- Andragogy -----
 
     An instructor should not expect any learning to take 
place the first time new information is presented.  
-- "Building Shooters" by Dustin Solomon
 
     "The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other.  
Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspectives."  
-- Robert John Meehan
 
*************************************************************************
*****     ***** Legal *****     *****
 
"Concealed Carry: Armed Self-Defense and the Law" by John Murphy
Excerpt:  
     "Shut up and wait for your lawyer to arrive."
---
     Remember Michael Drejka.  The police declined to arrest him because it was self defense.  
The sheriff declined to press charges because it was self defense.  Then Drejka goes into 
the police station to talk to the police without his attorney.  He runs his mouth for two 
hours.  The video and audio recording is played for the jury at trial, where he is convicted 
of manslaughter and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, where he is getting beaten by other 
prisoners.  
"Prison inmate attacked Michael Drejka over death of Markeis McGlockton" by Kathryn Varn
     Do you have what it takes to survive in prison?  Gang rape, sodomy, and beatings on 
a regular basis?  Probably not.  So, keep your mouth shut.  No matter what anyone says, 
remain silent!  
 
" 'Aloha' Unconstitutional Gun Law
Federal Judge Says Hawaii Handgun Inspection Requirement Violates Second Amendment"
by Dave Workman
     Primary source document,
     Sometimes we win.  
     I was born and raised in Honolulu, HI and Wailuku, HI.  
     When the Hawaii State legislature passed the law requiring a permit to acquire a firearm, 
they promised that the police departments and the Hawaii State Sheriff (Sheriff is state, 
not county, in Hawaii.  No, there is no "Hawaii-5O".) would give the required classes to 
get the "permit to acquire".  
     When the law passed, the police and sheriff refused to give the classes, creating an 
effective state wide ban for civilians acquiring firearms.  So, a group of us NRA instructors 
formed LIFE (Lessons in Firearms Education) and gave the NRA Personal Protection class 
(in the years before the class bifurcated into "Personal Protection In the Home" and 
"Personal Protection Outside the Home") and I signed the paperwork to allow persons to 
get their "permit to acquire".  Persons were forced to fly in from the neighbor islands 
to take the class, as it was the only way to get the training required for the 
"permit to acquire".
     The Hawaii State Attorney General sent me a letter telling me to cease and desist, 
and warning me of the huge liability that I was exposed to, and threatening some vague 
legal action.  I ignored it.  I think my dad was proud of me.  He always hated the 
Democrat regime in Hawaii.  
     When I left Hawaii in 1995 to take a job with Lockheed Martin in California, 
LIFE was still going strong.  
 
"Fort Worth Man Who Shot Texas State Trooper Faces No Charges
The homeowner says he had no idea he shot a state trooper 
when he fired through his front door" by Scott Gordon
     Thank God and the Founding Fathers for grand juries.  
The good guy and his wife were arrested and jailed.  They 
spent enormous amounts of money to defend themselves against  
the Texas government legal system.  
     The bad cop was protected by the Texas Department of Public Safety who 
"declined to provide a copy of the Texas Ranger’s report under the open records law, 
even after King was no-billed by the grand jury, claiming the case was still under 
investigation."  
     Government agencies don't release damning reports until after the media has 
lost interest in the incident.  
 
"Law of Self Defense News/Q&A Show: September 9, 2021" by Attorney Andrew Branca 
* Larry Elder Egg Assault
* Ex-prosecutor charged in Ahmaud Arbery case booked at jail
* Charges Upgraded Against Minnesota Officer Who Accidentally Fired Gun Instead of Taser, 
Killing Daunte Wright
* New York deputy mayor facing firearms charges
* Texas father shoots man peeping into 10-year-old daughter’s bedroom 
Excerpt:  
     An "accident" is a legal defense, just as "self defense" is a legal defense, 
just as "defense of others" is a legal defense.
 
"A PRIMER ON USE OF DEADLY FORCE (PART ONE)" by Steven Harris
"A PRIMER ON USE OF DEADLY FORCE (PART TWO)" by Steven Harris
"MAY/MUST Questions Answered Correctly. . . Shoot First, Live" by Steven Harris
"THE DEADLY FORCE PARADIGM REVISITED: CAN – MAY – SHOULD – MUST" by Steven Harris
"THE DEADLY FORCE PARADIGM : THE “MAY” " by Steven Harris
"THE DEADLY FORCE PARADIGM : THE “SHOULD” " by Steven Harris
"THE DEADLY FORCE PARADIGM: THE “MUST” " by Steven Harris
 
*****     ***** Political, Religious, and Philosophical *****     *****
 
     "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. 
It is wholly inadequate for the governance of any other.
-- John Adams, October 11, 1798
 
"Gun Ownership Grows And Gun Control Declines – Here Are The Numbers" by Larry Keane
 
"FBI abuses ‘no-fly list’ to infringe on second-amendment rights"
by John R. Lott and Thomas Massie
     Nameless faceless bureaucrats can put your name on the no-fly list 
without any oversight.  No court has to approve it.  No one reviews it.  
You don't have to have been convicted of any crime.  Completely arbitrary.  
 
     "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, 
the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."  
-- Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution 
 
"U.S. officials provided Taliban with names of Americans, Afghan allies"
     The Taliban is now using this list to hunt down, arrest, and execute 
these enemies of the Taliban state.  This is worse than criminal stupidity.  
This is treason.  
 
     "Governments are instituted among men, 
deriving their just power from the consent of the governed." 
-- Thomas Jefferson
 
"Unfiltered with Dan Bongino 09/04/21 [FULL] | Breaking Trump News September 4, 2021"
 
"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty.  
Suspect every one who approaches that jewel.  
Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force.  
Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined." 
-- Patrick Henry, speech of June 5, 1788 A.D.
 
"TFA joins GOA in amicus brief in Aposhian case at United States Supreme Court 
in effort to defeat bumpstock ban."
 
"US Military Courts Rules Bump Stocks Are Not Machine Guns" by John Crump
     The article has a link to an article about the Chevron Defense which is deep.  
But, the military judges declined to obey the Chevron Defense.  Bravo!  
 
"Militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves . . . 
And include all men capable of bearing arms." 
-- Senator Richard Henry Lee, 1788, on "militia" in the 2nd Amendment
 
"Should NRA Sue for Legal Malpractice?" by NRA in Danger (no human author listed)
 
"Biden’s Ammunition Ban Is Part Of The Left’s Plot To Disarm Americans
The gun prohibition lobbies have discovered that even if they can’t ban guns, 
choking off ammunition is an effective way to prevent people from using them."
by David Kopel
     Please note that while Biden has banned Russian ammo imports, ChiCom ammunition 
is available on the U.S. civilian market.  
A friend writes - "Grab a Gun. $12.99 shipping (unlimited amount of ammo). They do charge tax."
[The web site is 
]
 
"A Flood of Gun Lies Are Coming & You Need to Aggressively Correct Them" 
by F. Riehl, Editor in Chief
 
This is "Defense of others" - 
     The recent U.S. Supreme Court's ruling (5 to 4, the same as the Roe v. Wade 
ruling in the opposite direction) upholding the Texas abortion restriction law 
will save the lives of tens of thousands of babies (mostly minority, because a woman 
can get $50,000 from an attorney for a healthy white baby; rich people don't use the 
state adoption agencies, don't you know) every year.  
Can't murder the baby if a heart beat is detected.  
God is great!  
 
"Heller Takes DC Back to Court Over ‘Ghost-Gun’ Ban" by Jake Fogleman
 
"Afghan Interpreter Turned Deputy Sheriff Saw Taliban Gun Confiscation Firsthand"
by Lee Williams
     "Consider this report against the backdrop of the massive windfall in weaponry 
that Uncle Joe [President Biden] left the Taliban while continuing his campaign for 
civilian disarmament in the US." -- STEPHEN P. WENGER
 
"Debate Over Immigrants' Gun Rights Ignites In 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals Case"
By Marco Poggio
"Does the Second Amendment Cover Immigrants?"
His attorneys argue that Mr. Perez was a law abiding immigrant.  But, an illegal 
alien is not a law abiding immigrant, because he violated the law by entering 
the U.S. illegally.  Bad cases make bad law.  
 
"New Zealand Stores Ban Knives After Mass Stabbing, This is Getting Ridiculous"
by Colion Noir
     This is real.  The government banned knives in London, England, United Kingdom too.  
In Tennessee, there is no such thing as an illegal knife.  Live free or die.  
 
     For those who wish to defund the police and such, remind them of Aesop's Fable, 
http://www.read.gov/aesop/001.html  (in the Library of Congress on their web site)
"The Wolves & the Sheep"
     A pack of Wolves lurked near the Sheep pasture. But the Dogs kept them all at 
a respectful distance, and the Sheep grazed in perfect safety.  But now the Wolves 
thought of a plan to trick the Sheep.
     "Why is there always this hostility between us?" they said.  "If it were not 
for those Dogs who are always stirring up trouble, I am sure we should get along 
beautifully.  Send them away and you will see what good friends we shall become."
     The Sheep were easily fooled.  They persuaded the Dogs to go away, and that 
very evening the Wolves had the grandest feast of their lives.
     Moral:  Do not give up friends for foes.  
 
     “Is there no virtue among us?
If there is not, we are without hope!
No form of government, existing nor theoretical, will keep us from harm.
To think that any government, in any form, 
will insure liberty and happiness for an dishonorable population 
represents the height of self-deception.”
-- James Madison, 1788
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Survival, Medical, Security, and such *****     *****     *****
 
"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Dr. Sherman House
 
"The Taliban Reportedly Have Control of US Biometric Devices – 
a Lesson in Life-and-Death Consequences of Data Privacy"
by Margaret Hu, Professor of Law and of International Affairs, Penn State
     Very disturbing.  
 
"What If You’re the Victim of Internet Doxing and Your Privacy has been Compromised?"
by Katherin Basso and Dennis Santiago
 
"Depressing statistics" by Kathy Jackson
     I again cite this article, because I have recently been inundated by little girls 
and young women in my classes.  
Excerpt:  
     "Men who are murdered are overwhelmingly murdered by strangers. 
But more than a third of women who are murdered, are killed by husbands 
and boyfriends and other people they  know. (link to statistics in article)
     This puts a very, very different face on effective defense for women 
than for men."
 
"If you stay fit, you do not have to get fit. 
If you stay trained, you do not have to get trained. 
If you stay prepared, you do not have to get prepared."
-- Robert Margulies
 
*************************************************************************
*****     *****     ***** Miscellany / History / War Stories *****     *****     *****
 
"Good habits and skill beat luck every time."
-- Sheriff Jim Wilson
 
"The Matrix Resurrections" December 22, 2021 A.D.
     I'm going to have to see this, having seen the preceding three.
 
     Oo Rah!  SigInt Marines!  Mission accomplished.  It will never appear in the 
broadcast media, but when your grandchildren show you pictures of the last American 
to leave Afghanistan, you can tell them that that Major General was just a photo 
opportunity.  You can tell them the truth.  You can explain to them that there is 
no journalism; there is only propaganda.  Oo Rah!  
 
     I used to work as armed security at an addiction rehab facility (technically 
it was a psychiatric hospital).  One night, one of the female staff was gang raped 
by several male patients in the basement of one of the buildings while she was 
doing laundry.  I asked for the records of all of the patients, so we could know 
ahead of time who the violent criminals and sexual predators were.  (All of the 
patients were criminals in the sense that they were drug abusers.  Just about all 
were at the facility because a court or an employer had ordered them to be there.  
Many had long criminal records.)  The director of security told me that I could 
not treat the patients as criminals and fired me.  The executives told the female 
staff member not to press charges, and that if she did, they would fire her.  (I 
hear, second hand, that she quit.)
     Col. Grossman talks about sheep, sheepdogs, and wolves.  But, there are 
humans much worse than wolves.  Denying that the wolves will attack is what the 
sheep do.  Coddling, pampering, and protecting the wolves (and the federal funding 
and insurance money, because federal law forces insurance companies to cover 
addiction rehab) and allowing them to prey on the sheep is a much higher level 
of depravity.  
 
All kinds of neat stuff at:  
     Sheriff Jim Wilson
     Stephen P. Wenger (you can download his books free of charge, as they 
are presently out of print)
     Practical Eschatology by Docent
     The Tactical Professor by Claude Werner
     Active Response Training by Gregg Ellifritz
     Quips by John Farnam
     Rangemaster newsletter by Tom Givens
     CIVILIAN DEFENDER by Sherman House
     Handgun Combatives by Dave Spaulding
     Marcus Wynne
     Jeff Gonzales
     Michael Bane
     Jerry Miculek - Pro Shooter
     OODA Loop
     Active Self Protection YouTube.com channel
     Michael Mann Security
YouTube.com channel
     Guardian News Podcast
 
Quantum Computing Sensemaking by OODA Loop
 
"DOJ fines NSA hackers who assisted UAE in attacks on dissidents
Baier, Adams and Gericke will pay a total of $1,685,000 after 
creating multiple smartphone exploits that were used to target 
opponents of the UAE government." by Jonathan Greig 
Excerpt:  
     "As the value and use of offensive cyber capability becomes more obvious, 
and as the lines of international relations continue to shift, I would expect 
to see more of these 'slightly oddball' outcomes in the future."
     Oddball outcome indeed.  
 
An implementation of the Vernam cypher (a complete crypto system would be more complicated) -- 
     Consider the plain text as a file of bits.  
     Pad the plain text to disguise the length of the plain text.  [If you're 
continuously transmitting (encrypted blanks for instance), there is no need to pad.]  
Append or prefix the date-time-group to ensure uniqueness.  Compress to eliminate 
useless redundancy.  
     Generate the pseudo-random bit stream.  The initialization vector of the 
pseudo-random number generator would be the crypto key.  (We assume you are competent 
to choose or create a good generator.  The Linear Feedback Shift Registers are 
probably your best bet.  All of life is compromise.)
     Bit-wise exclusive-or the plain text with the pseudo-random bit stream.  
This creates the cypher text.
     Error correction coding (adding useful redundancy).
     Transmit over communication channel (transmission through space).  
Or, store on device (transmission forward through time).  Any transmission or 
storage will induce errors.  
---
     Retrieve the cypher text.  
     Error correction decoding.  
     Generate the pseudo-random bit stream with the crypto key.  
Bit-wise exclusive-or the plain text with the pseudo-random bit stream.  
     Decompress the data.
---
     "Okay, Staff, but how do the parties securely share a crypto key?"  
     Diffie-Hellman key agreement protocol.  
"Handbook of Applied Cryptography" 
by Alfred J. Menezes, Paul C. van Oorschot and Scott A. Vanstone
Chapter 12, page 515.  Download free of charge.  [Information wants to be free.]  
     Whitfield Diffie came to speak to us at a AFCEA (Armed Forces Communications 
and Electronics Association) meeting in Silicon Valley in the mid 1990's.  
A very neat fellow.  
 
“In the long-run, there is no such thing as ‘luck’. 
However, the short-run is longer than many individual lifetimes!”
-- Anon
 
Semper Fidelis,
Jonathan D. Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com